Turkey's Eid al-Adha holiday extended to 10 days

ANKARA

The Eid al–Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) holiday has been extended to 10 days in Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ said on Aug. 15, speaking after a cabinet meeting.

The Turkish cabinet agreed at a meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extend the holiday to the full 10 days, Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Bekir Bozdağ announced.
  
He told reporters the decision was taken in the context of "helping family visits, reviving the tourism sector and having a positive effect on commerce".

According to the cabinet decision, the Eid al-Adha holiday will start on Aug. 28 and end on Sept. 3. 

Bozdağ also said that state retirement payments will be made on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had said on Aug. 11 that the government was reviewing the possibility of extending the Eid al-Adha holiday at the end of August, adding that such a move would be “felicitous” for Turkey's struggling tourism sector.

However, Turkish economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, had spoken out against the extension of the holiday, worrying about the effect on economic productivity.
  
But the head of Turkey’s Hotel Federation (TUROFED) Osman Ayık backed the longer holiday, saying it would improve people’s spirits rather than hurt production.
  
"The tourism sector in particular is in need of a boost and motivation after hard times in the last years," he said, according to the Anadolu news agency.
  
"This opportunity needs to be seen in the context of supporting the sector," he added.
  
The long holiday means that Turks will be able to take trips from Saturday, August 26 and only return to their offices on Tuesday, September 5.